The drowning death of a seven-month-old Launceston baby has drawn criticisms of a failure in child protection while friends and family have leapt to the mother’s defence.
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It was revealed on Tuesday that Ariah Louise McGillvery-Bourke died on September 19, allegedly while being bathed in her home.
Child Safety Services had received two notifications relating to her care on September 7 and on September 12.
Ariah was also last seen by a child health nurse on September 11.
Her funeral was held on the same day that Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma released a statement on her death.
Friends and family reacted angrily over social media over the timing of the statement and media coverage, saying both parents were distraught over the incident.
Several warned against linking the death with the child safety notifications without knowing all the facts.
Ariah’s grandmother Melissa McGillvery posted last week:
“Today my heart shattered into a millions pieces and will never be the same again.
“I'll hold every memory of you close to my heart everyday, I wish this was all a bad dream and that I could wake up and see that cheeky little smile with your tongue out or that little squeal of yours.”
Her aunt Montana McGillvey later posted:
“Just to be able to hold you one last time and smother you in kisses is all I want.”
According to the latest figures, in 2015-16, it took 29 days or longer for an investigation to commence in more than half of all child safety notification cases.
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said she understood that the notifications about Ariah had not been promptly followed through due to a lack of resources.
“Even with the extra resourcing that is coming belatedly under this government, there is still far too little funding going into child safety,” she said.
Opposition child safety spokesman Josh Willie said just three weeks ago, child safety workers had walked off the job for a day in protest over not having the resources to do their job.
Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma urged against judgments made before police and coronial investigations had concluded.
“I understand that some people will seek to make political mileage out of this terrible tragedy but the facts of this case are still unclear and no charges have been laid,” she said.
